Dubai's single-use bag charge comes into effect (2024)

FAQs

Dubai's single-use bag charge comes into effect? ›

The emirate had mandated businesses to impose a 25-fil charge on single-use plastic bags from the beginning of this year. From June 1, all single-use bags will be banned across retail outlets in Dubai, with stores not obligated to offer free alternatives.

Dubai has now introduced a complete ban on one-time-use bags across the city for materials thinner than 57 micrometres. This ban extends beyond just those made from plastic and includes paper bags, biodegradable plant material bags and biodegradable bags.

Dubai has imposed a ban on plastic bags from 1 January 2024 as part of the Executive Council Resolution No. (124) of 2023 on single-use products.

Retailers have worked closely with the government over the single-use bag charges to ensure it has been an industry-wide success – with 98% fewer bags used across the biggest grocery retailers. It has also generated millions in funds that retailers have donated to a variety of good causes.

The team discovered that Chicago's bag tax reduced disposable bag use from 82% of consumers to just 54%, while doubling reusable bag use from 13% to 29% – a change that occurred within the first month of the tax. Importantly, these effects persisted a year after the tax implementation.

“Single-use, plastic carryout bag” means any bag less than 2.25 milliliter thick and made predominately of plastic derived from petroleum or bio-based sources, such as corn or other plant source, and includes compostable, non-compostable, and biodegradable plastic bags.

Single-use plastic bags for your regular grocery shopping were banned from use way back in July 2019. Up next, by mid-2025 "all other PVC and polystyrene food and drink packaging" which the government describes as "hard to recycle plastics" will be banned.

Many state and local governments have implemented plastic bag fees at grocery stores in an effort to curb Americans' plastic pollution.

According to the report, over 500 municipalities in 28 states had plastic bag legislation in effect as of 2021. Additionally, 12 states have single-use plastic bag bans: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Supermarket operators with an annual turnover of more than S$100 million (US$73.9 million) began charging at least 5 cents per disposable carrier bag on Jul 3, 2023. These include NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage, Giant, Sheng Siong and Prime Supermarket.

Is the plastic bag ban successful? ›

A recent report found that state- and city-wide bans successfully reduce plastic bag use and associated litter and pollution.

Nonprofits, government agencies and others have found that plastic bag bans successfully reduced plastic bag litter by at least one-third, with far greater litter reductions in some jurisdictions. Such reductions, particularly in coastal areas, likely reduce the risk plastic bags pose to marine animals.

A study from the National Center for Policy Analysis claims that a ban on plastic bags used by grocers and retailers can negatively impact sales in the ban area and increase sales among stores just outside the bag ban region.

In 2019, New Zealand no longer allowed stores to provide single-use plastic shopping bags. This measure takes waste-reducing efforts a step further by banning recyclable, biodegradable or plant-based plastic. Instead, customers are encouraged to carry mesh, paper or canvas bags to hold their produce.

Banned Items

Gambling tools and machineries. Three layers fishing nets. Original engravings, prints, lithographs, sculpture and statues in any material. Used, reconditioned and inlaid tires.

The charge for single-use plastic bags in Dubai will be 25 fils from 1st July 2022. That brings an end to our guide on the new environment centric policy to avoid single-use plastic bags in Dubai. The UN warns that if current practices continue, it is very likely that oceans will have more plastic than fish by 2050.

Fly Dubai Airlines Checked Baggage Allowance

Each bag must be smaller than 75 cm x 55 cm x 35 cm. While travelling by business class, you can check in up to three baggage pieces, with a total weight not exceeding 40 kg. Each bag must weigh less than 32 kg, and must be smaller than 75 cm x 55 cm x 35 cm.